What You Said: Indonesian General Has Taste for Flashy Fakes

Wearing what he said to be a Chinese-made watch, Indonesian Armed Forces Chief Gen. Moeldoko speaks to the media during a press conference in Jakarta on April 23.

Associated Press

Indonesian military commander General Moeldoko has become the target of online media chatter after he claimed his expensive-looking wrist watch was merely a cheap replica.

Comments about his timepiece first surfaced earlier this week when a Singaporean website ran a story saying that it appeared to be a luxurious Richard Mille from a collection that sells for more than $100,000. When Gen. Moeldoko was asked about the watch on Wednesday, he said it was nothing but a cheap Chinese fake and slammed it on the floor.

The topic has since exploded in online media – one Singaporean website ran a story showing what other expensive watches the general has worn previously – and created a buzz on social media. Many people have reacted with indignation that a general would pose such an expensive item in a country where half the population still lives on around $2 a day. Others have questioned where Gen. Moeldoko could possibly have gotten the money to afford such a luxury.

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